Emergency Information

In case of a school delay or closure due to inclement weather or an emergency, we post the information to local media on the FlashAlert.net site. We also notify families and staff about delays and closures via ParentSquare around 6 AM. (Pro tip: If you need to know sooner, visit the FlashAlert.net site to see what we shared with the media around 5 AM.) By default, ParentSquare sends text messages for inclement weather alerts. However, if the primary phone number for a family is a landline or the text message fails, ParentSquare will launch a phone call with a recorded message. Families and staff can modify their notification preferences; learn how here (requires signing into ParentSquare).

Two-Hour Delay

  • All learning will be delayed 2 hours for both in-person and remote learning.
  • If it is Wednesday, there will be no early release, and students will attend the full day.
  • JWR, ZAC, and HLC childcare will open at 9:00 AM.
  • There will be no AM preschool.
  • There will be no Cascadia Tech a.m. bus service. NOTE: If Evergreen School District is operating on time, Cascadia Tech will also be on time.
  • There will be no zero-period classes.

Closure

  • If there is a school closure, we will close all facilities, cancel all services and activities, and add inclement weather make-up dates as noted in our calendar.
  • There will be no Cascadia Tech bus service. NOTE: If Evergreen School District is open, whether on a delay or operating on time, Cascadia Tech will follow the same schedule.

Bus Schedule and Snow Routes
If no announcement is made, bus routes will run on regular schedules. If a two-hour late start is announced, buses will run regular routes two hours later than the normal schedule. We sometimes use alternate bus stops, called snow routes, in areas of the district where buses cannot travel safely. Although typically found in higher elevations, snow routes impact every school in our district, so be sure to review the 2023-24 Snow Routes. If snow routes are announced in the morning, buses will also run on snow routes in the afternoon.

View Our 2023-24 Snow Routes

Making the Call: Open, Late, or Closed?

On a morning when the threat of hazardous conditions may exist, district staff members begin driving bus routes around 4:00 a.m. to examine road conditions. We consider weather-related situations that students and staff will face as well as the forecast for later in the day. We also monitor the road conditions through our county’s website. Our school district covers a large region with remote areas and steep terrain in places. While roads may be passable in town, conditions may be very different just a few miles away—in fact, the elevation within the district boundaries varies from 50 to 2,000+ feet. Before we close schools or delay start times, we seek answers to the questions below:

  • Can we ensure that buses can navigate the streets safely?
  • Will students be safe waiting for buses, driving, or walking to school?
  • What are the predicted weather conditions later in the school day so we can also ensure students a safe return home?
  • Will road conditions be substantially improved if we start school late (e.g., a two-hour late start)?

Once the information is gathered, the superintendent decides whether to close or delay school. When the decision to close schools or delay the start times is made, we inform parents, students, and staff. Emergency and school closure information is communicated to the local media via the FlashAlert system, and the district website will display the information sent to the media around 5:00 a.m.

As a parent, you may decide to keep your child or children at home if you feel it’s unsafe to make the trip to school. You are in the best position to decide about your local conditions and your child’s judgment and driving capabilities.

While we go to extensive measures to determine if roads district-wide are safe for travel, it’s physically impossible for us to be on every street corner and side street at all times. We rely on you to be the final judge when it comes to the safety of your child. We appreciate your support in keeping students safe!-